How to Kill Mountain Laurel

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Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is an evergreen shrub that blooms in the spring with masses of tiny pink flowers. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture growing zones 4 to 9, it is drought-tolerant and attractive. Unfortunately, it is also poisonous to livestock. In fact, it can be fatal if eaten by some animals, especially sheep and goats, which is why the plant is often called "sheepkill." Home gardeners who have mountain laurel in their landscapes, but who also keep livestock, would do well to get rid of the plant.

1

Prune the branches back to as close to the ground as possible. This will make it much easier to remove the shrub. Place the branches in a bag and recycle them, or place them in a location on your property that is not accessible to livestock.

2

Dig out the shrub. Start about 2 feet from the trunk and dig in a circle. Loosen the dirt under the roots. Then, use the shovel as a level to lift out the shrub and as many roots as possible. Again, take care to remove all pieces of the shrub to a location safe from livestock.

3

Spray the area with an herbicide that contains the active ingredient triclopyr. This will prevent any roots remaining in the ground from sprouting. If your shrub is small and you don't mind using chemicals, you can spray the plant with this herbicide after the leaves have fully opened. In about a month or so, the plant will wilt.

4

Cover the location where the mountain laurel was growing with black plastic. Weigh it down with rocks or bricks. In time, the sun will heat up the ground. With no light or water, any remaining roots or sprouts will die.

Things You Will Need

Pruning tools

Yard waste bag

Shovel

Herbicide containing triclopyr

Black plastic

Rocks or bricks

Tip

Although the best way to kill any plant is with herbicide, many shrubs are too large to completely kill with chemicals. Chemicals can also harm the environment. For this reason, it is best to manually remove as much as the shrub as possible, and then use a small amount of herbicide to kill any lingering roots.